Guzmania plant named &#39;switch&#39;

ABSTRACT

Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’ is solid, tenable, small-sized and long lasting with a compound-shaped purple-red inflorescence.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new, distinct and stable plant of Guzmania hybrid, hereinafter referred to as ‘Switch’. The present invention relates to seeds which are Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’, as well as plants and plant parts produced from these seeds which have all the morphological and physiological characteristics of the Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’. The present invention also relates to methods for producing these seeds and plants. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of producing progeny Guzmania plants by crossing Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’, as the male or female parent, with another Guzmania plant and selecting progeny.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The new cultivar is a hybrid Guzmania. The male or pollen parent was a selection of Guzmania wittmacki and the female or seed parent was a selection of Guzmania lingulata. Guzmania is a member of the Bromeliaceae family. Guzmania is predominantly epiphytic with a few terrestrial species and is native to the tropics. For the most part, species vary in diameter from 7 or 8 inches to 3 or 4 feet and have rosettes of glossy, smooth-edged leaves.

[0003] Floral bracts of Guzmania frequently have brilliant colors and may last for many months. The range of colors for Guzmania is generally from yellow through orange but may also include flame red and red-purple. White or yellow, tubular, three-petalled flowers may also appear on a stem or within the leaf rosette but are usually short-lived.

[0004] Guzmania may be advantageously grown as pot plants for greenhouse or home use. Typically, the plants are shaded from direct sunlight. During the spring to autumn period, the central vase-like part of the leaf rosette is normally filled with water.

[0005] Guzmania is native to tropical America. Leaves of Guzmania are usually formed as basal rosettes which are stiff and entire and in several vertical ranks. Guzmania plants have terminal spikes or panicles which are often bracted with petals united in a tube about as long as the calyx. The ovary is superior and the seeds plumose.

[0006] Asexual propagation of Guzmania is frequently done through the use of tissue culture practices. Propagation can also be from offshoots which can be detached from the mother plant and grown in an appropriate soil or bark mixture.

[0007] Methods for cultivation and crossing of Guzmania are well known. For a detailed discussion, reference is made to the following publications, which are incorporated herein by reference: Benzing, David H., THE BIOLOGY OF THE BROMELIADS, Mad River Press, Inc., Eureka (1980); Zimmer, Karl, BROMELIEN, Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin (1986); and Rauh, Werner, BROMELIEN, Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (1981).

[0008] A Guzmania inbred is produced by brother/sister crossing over several generations to produce a genetically homozygous plant selection. A hybrid cultivar is produced by crossing two genetically distinct inbred lines, collecting seeds produced by the cross, and germinating seeds so-produced to make hybrid plants. The hybrid seeds and plants produced by this method are uniform with respect to their morphological and physiological characteristics.

[0009] A need exists for a greater variety of Guzmania cultivars with attractive ornamental features. Additionally, a need exists for additional Guzmania hybrid cultivars that can be easily propagated by seed. The new cultivar was developed through a controlled breeding program and exhibits unique, desirable and stable characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The instant invention provides Guzmania plant selections that are solid, tenable, small-sized and long-lasting. The instant invention also provides Guzmania plant selections with a compound-shaped purple-red inflorescence.

[0011] These and other objectives have been achieved in accordance with the present invention which provides a new cultivar ‘Switch’ that is a product of a planned breeding program undertaken by the inventors in Assendelft, The Netherlands, in 1996. The male or pollen parent was a selection of Guzmania wittmacki identified by Code No. 93517036. The female or seed parent was a selection of Guzmania lingulata identified by Code No. 93517146.

[0012] Both parents have a sufficient degree of homozygosity such that the progeny of the cross are genetically and phenotypically uniform. The cultivar ‘Switch’ therefore can be produced by sexual reproduction by crossing 93517036×93517146 to produce a population of progeny plants, each of which has the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar.

[0013] Seeds which are cultivar ‘Switch’ are produced by crossing 93517036×93517146 and are deposited with the American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 (ATCC Patent Deposit Designation No. ______). 2500 seeds were deposited with the ATCC on ______.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0014] This invention relates to seeds which produce Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’. This invention also relates to Guzmania plants, and parts thereof, having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’. This invention relates to a plant produced from seeds which are Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’. This invention also relates to plant parts, such as pollen, seeds or inflorescence produced by Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’.

[0015] This invention relates to a method of producing seed which are Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’, by crossing Guzmania wittmacki selection 93517036 as the male parent with Guzmania lingulata selection 93517146 as the female parent and the reciprocate cross with 93517146 as the female parent and 93517036 as the male parent and harvesting seeds produced from said crosses.

[0016] This invention also relates to a method of producing plants having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of the Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’ comprising the steps of (a) crossing Guzmania wittmacki selection 93517036 as the male parent with Guzmania lingulata selection 93517146 as the female parent; (b) harvesting seeds produced from said cross; and (c) producing plants from said harvested seeds.

[0017] The invention also relates to producing progeny plants from the cross of Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’, as the male or female parent, with another Guzmania plant, and selecting progeny plants from this cross.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The file contains at least two drawings executed in color. Copies of this patent with the color drawings will be provided by the Patent and Trademark Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0019] The first photographic drawing shows a whole plant, side view of the inflorescence and foliage of ‘Switch’, with colors being as true as possible with illustrations of this type. The second photographic drawing shows a close up, side view of the inflorescence of ‘Switch’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The present invention was created by the inventors, Elly Bak and Nicolaas D. M. Steur in 1993, and flowered for the first time in 1996 in Assendelft, The Netherlands.

[0021] This invention is directed to a Guzmania plant having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of the cultivar ‘Switch’ produced from seeds which are the product of the cross of Guzmania wittmacki selection 93517036 as the male parent with Guzmania lingulata selection 93517146 as the female parent. Both parents have a sufficient degree of homozygosity such that the progeny of the cross were, and continue to be, phenotypically uniform. The variety ‘Switch’ therefore can be produced by sexual reproduction by crossing 93517036×93517146 to produce a population of progeny plants each of which has the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar.

[0022] The variety ‘Switch’ can also be produced by asexually reproducing progeny from the cross of 93517036×93517146 because the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar ‘Switch’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The selection comprising the new variety was chosen after commencement of flowering of the progeny in 1996 in Assendelft, The Netherlands. Sexual propagation-has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar ‘Switch’, as observed in Assendelft, The Netherlands, are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

[0023] ‘Switch’ is particularly characterized by the following characteristics:

[0024] 1. solid, tenable, small-sized growth habit in a funnel-form rosette measuring approximately 55 cm in height when flowering;

[0025] 2. numerous leaves, each approximately 40 cm in length;

[0026] 3. approximately 10 scape bracts and 10 primary bracts;

[0027] 4. compound-shaped inflorescence;

[0028] 5. purple-red primary bracts, RHS 185A; and

[0029] 6. long-lasting habit.

[0030] ‘Switch’ has not been tested under all available environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, light intensity, frequency of fertilization, composition of fertilizer, acetylene treatment, day length and humidity without, however, any change in the genotype of the new cultivar.

[0031] For example, substantial differences in plant height and diameter, and the number of leaves, can result depending on the size of the plant at the time flowering is induced by acetylene treatment. Since treatment with acetylene to induce flowering disrupts normal watering and fertilization regimens, acetylene treatment of relatively smaller plants adversely affects the growth of the plant.

[0032] The new cultivar flowers approximately 17 weeks after treatment with Acetylene.

[0033] The closest comparison cultivar is Guzmania ‘Ostara’ (unpatented). The most important difference between ‘Switch’ and ‘Ostara’ is the color of the inflorescence. ‘Switch’ has a purple-red inflorescence, while ‘Ostara’ has an orange-red inflorescence.

[0034] In the following description, color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish ‘Switch’ as a new and distinct cultivar. The following observations, measurements and descriptions were taken of ‘Switch’ plants grown under Dutch greenhouse conditions in Assendelft, The Netherlands. PLANT: Form: Funnel form rosette Height: Approximately 55 cm high (flowering) Diameter: Approximately 60 cm Growth habit: Stemless FOLIAGE: Size: Approximately 40 cm in length, 3-4 cm in width Shape: Lanceolate Surface texture: Smooth Color: Upperside: between RHS 147 A; underside: RHS 137 A (color can vary depending on environmental conditions) Apex: Acute FLOWERS: Borne: Erect stalks Shape of inflorescence: Compound Size of the inflorescence: Approximately 20 cm in length; approximately 23-25 cm in diameter Individual petals: Approximately 6 cm in length; .5 cm in width; color RHS 17 A Number of flowers Approximately 80 per inflorescence: Lastingness of the A full grown plant can produce inflorescence:

[0035] an inflorescence containing approximately 80 flowers and can bloom anytime throughout the year beginning approximately 17 weeks after natural induction or induction with acetylene. Each flower blooms for one day and the total length of blooming of the whole inflorescence is 6 weeks. BRACTS: Scape Bract: Approximately 20 cm (lowest) to approximately 12 cm just below the primary bracts in length; approximate 3.5-4 cm in width; approximately 10 in number; lanceolate shape; smooth texture; margin entire; acute apex Primary Bract: Approximately 12 cm (lowest) to approximately 4 cm at the top in length; approximately 2.5-3.5 cm in width; approximately 10 in number; lanceolate shape; smooth texture; margin entire; acute apex; color RHS 185 A Floral Bract: Disposed within the inflorescence

[0036] Disease/Pest resistance/susceptibility: No information to date

What is claimed is: 

1. A Guzmania plant designated cultivar ‘Switch’ obtained from seed having American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) Patent Deposit Designation No. ______.
 2. Guzmania seed having ATCC Patent Deposit Designation No. ______.
 3. A Guzmania plant produced from the seed of claim
 2. 4. Plant parts obtained from the Guzmania plant of claim
 3. 5. A method of producing Guzmania progeny plant comprising of the steps of (a) crossing Guzmania cultivar ‘Switch’ produced from seed accorded ATCC Patent Deposit Designation No. ______ as a male or female parent with another Guzmania plant and (b) selecting progeny. 